


A Bit Surprising, But Certainly Not Unwelcome

by Witty_Whit



Series: Nicknames [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: 5 Times, Adorable Obi-Wan Kenobi, Awkwardness, BAMF CC-2224 | Cody, BAMF Clone Troopers (Star Wars), Canon Divergence - Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008), Clone Shenanigans, Clone Trooper & Jedi Relationships (Star Wars), Clone Trooper Culture (Star Wars), Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Hurt Obi-Wan Kenobi, Hurt/Comfort, Male Friendship, Nicknames, Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Break, Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug, Oblivious Obi-Wan Kenobi, POV Alternating, Protective CC-2224 | Cody, Protective clones, Rescue Missions, The 212th Attack Battalion Loves Obi-Wan Kenobi, Waxer Lives (Star Wars), Wordcount: 5.000-10.000, Worried CC-2224 | Cody
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-13 10:15:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29524896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Witty_Whit/pseuds/Witty_Whit
Summary: Or: Five Times the 212th Gave Their General a Nickname
Relationships: 212th Attack Battalion & Obi-Wan Kenobi, CC-2224 | Cody & Obi-Wan Kenobi, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Clone Troopers, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Crys, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Longshot, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Original Clone Character(s), Obi-Wan Kenobi & Trapper, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Waxer, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Wooley
Series: Nicknames [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2169048
Comments: 59
Kudos: 314





	1. General Brother

**Author's Note:**

> I thought I'd ease myself back into writing with a cute, little, 5-things fic, and here I am with pages of research and 8,000+ words later. I can't do anything by halves apparently.
> 
> I would like to personally NOT thank the Clone Wars writers for their confusing military structures and for only naming a handful of 212th troopers. It's all about the 501st, isn't it?
> 
> I would like to give extensive thanks to [cac0daemonia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cac0daemonia/pseuds/cac0daemonia) for these incredibly useful references: [Star Wars: The Clone Wars Republic Military Hierarchy Flowcharts](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26441890). Go give more kudos, pls.
> 
> Thanks also to Wookieepedia, the Clone Trooper wiki, the Clone Wars wiki, the Mando'a dictionary, the list of Star Wars slang, and the Clone Name generator. Again, I don't do things by halves. (I created 10 clone OCs for this nonsense and didn't even put them all in the story.)
> 
> ANYWAYS, all the relationships in this are gen but are definitely also pre-slash. Basically, Obi-Wan flirts with everyone and all the clones love and adore him. (I have plans to continue non-gen relationships in future installments.)
> 
> Warnings: there're some Star Wars swears and one "damn." Obi-Wan gets badly beaten up, but I don't describe anything. He also gets medically drugged and is adorable. There's some Mando'a that I don't bother to translate, but you should be able to figure it out through context. (It's really common words in clone fanfic; honestly, if this the first clone wars fanfic you're reading, go find something better.)
> 
> This was fun to write though, and I hope you enjoy it.

"Commander Cody asked me to escort you to the bridge at your earliest convenience, General Vod."

Obi-Wan's eyes widened as he registered exactly what the young trooper had called him.

_General Brother._

Obi-Wan would have to admit that was a bit surprising, but certainly not unwelcome.

Well, maybe not so surprising given his men's unflinching loyalty towards him. Their devotion defied all reason and logic. Without a single doubt, he knew that his men would follow him through the depths of hell. With only minor complaining from Boil.

Ignoring the Eopie-in-the-speeder-lights look on the trooper's face, Obi-Wan clasped his shoulder. He said with a smile, "I'll head up there in a moment, Table – wasn't it?"

"Yes, sir!" said Table. His ears might have been red, but his posture was 212th-perfect. The tightening around the corners of his eyes was the only giveaway of his stress. After all, it wasn't every day he managed to kriff up one of the GAR's highest-ranking officer's names.

Turning to Waxer, Obi-Wan handed off his data-pad. "Will you please finish these requisition orders for me, Lieutenant Waxer? I believe I've remembered everything we need. However, please do add anything else that you can think of, especially if it's not needed." He winked at Waxer and Table.

"Thank you, sir," said Waxer with a grin. "Sorry about Table, sir. He's a bit of a di'kut. Commander Cody said we weren't supposed to call you that in public."

Feeling the heat rise on the back of his neck, Obi-Wan spoke carefully, "Do all the troopers call me that?"

"Oh, yes, sir!" said Waxer with a laugh. "We don't mean anything bad by it, honest. We call General Plo Koon, _General Buir_."

Obi-Wan's smile got larger than before, "Oh, that is perfect for him – does he know?"

"One time Commander Wolffe called him that in the middle of a battle," explained Waxer. "Wolffe was so embarrassed that he later got drunk and confessed to Commander Cody. Apparently, General Plo couldn't stop smiling. I have no idea how Wolffe could even tell."

"Delightful. I must congratulate him on becoming a father."

"He'd appreciate that, sir."

Realizing that his hand was still clasping Table's shoulder, whose ears were still a rather bright shade of red, Obi-Wan turned back to the shiny. "Ready to head up, Table?"

"Yes, sir!" 

Obi-Wan slid his hand from the trooper's shoulder around to his upper back and gave him a gentle nudge. "Well, we'd best not keep the commander waiting any longer. Shall we?"

"Yes, sir!"

It wouldn't do to laugh at the poor thing, so Obi-Wan had to press his lips together to resist the temptation.

As he continued out into the hall, two more troopers formed up behind Obi-Wan and Table. Save for in his personal quarters, there was never a moment without a clone or two nearby. When the Jedi Council had first assigned him to the 212th Attack Battalion, various assigned squads followed him around. With all their military precision and formality, it was like being in a parade. Distressed, Obi-Wan had told Cody quite sternly that there was absolutely no need for an honor guard wherever he went. Thank you very much.

So officially, the Commander ended the protective detail. However, there were always a few troopers who just happened to be going in the same direction if Obi-Wan was walking through the ship. That or they were hanging out in the same room that Obi-Wan was in. Casually. With blasters.

Over time Obi-Wan realized their protectiveness wasn't because they thought he was weak or incompetent. So, he quit protesting and accepted his various shadows with questionable equanimity. While he knew it wasn't for anything negative, the continual protective detail still baffled him. Though perhaps it arose from the fact that the Kaminoans had designed the clone troopers to protect the Jedi first and foremost. The thought made him a bit sad, despite his efforts releasing the negativity into the Force during meditation.

As Obi-Wan entered the lift, he finally dropped his hand from Table's back to hold the door open for the two troopers. The pair followed him in without a hint of awkwardness. "Longshot. Wooley. Going up?"

"Yes, sir," said Longshot as he leaned against the wall of the lift. "Commander wants us on the bridge too."

Unlike his brother, Wooley stood straight and turned halfway towards Obi-Wan. He wanted to be respectful, but was a bit too intimidated to face Obi-Wan head-on.

Table tried to shrink into a corner.

Obi-Wan wasn't having that and turned so that Table was forced to face him head-on. "I'm honored by your acceptance of me, Table. I hope you know that. Other than the other Jedi, I've never had a family before. Even with the Jedi we're not supposed to form attachments. It pleases me a great deal to know that you consider me part of yours. I know how close and special the relationships between you and every single one of your brothers are.

Ears still very red, Table smiled and said, "Thank you, sir. I meant no disrespect."

"We all think of you as a brother, General," confirmed Wooley, meeting Obi-Wan's eyes for a moment.

"Like a really, really cool big brother," continued Longshot.

Obi-Wan chuckled. "Enough flattery, boys. You'll get me in trouble with Grand Master Yoda himself if he finds out how attached I am to you all!" Lowering his voice to a stage whisper, Obi-Wan asked, "Do you have a nickname for Anakin?"

Wooley and Longshot grinned. "It's not something I'd repeat in polite company, sir," said Longshot, wiggling his eyebrows wickedly. Having never met the younger general, Table looked confused.

"Well then, I'll have to find out next time I can get you all drunk when we're on leave," Obi-Wan said with a cheeky grin of his own. "Or I bet I can get Captain Rex to tell me."

With that, the lift finally arrived at the bridge. Obi-Wan led the way out and headed straight to his commander. Not feeling any sense of urgency from the commander, Obi-Wan felt free to indulge in a bit of levity. He asked with a cheerful smile, "Commander Cody, have you heard the good news?"

"What's that, sir?" Cody said, deadpan voice belying the humor Obi-Wan felt emanating from him.

"General Plo is a dad!"

A chuckle broke out across the bridge. Plo Koon's fatherly love for all his troops was a well-known secret among the GAR. As the laughter died out, Obi-Wan asked, "Now that you've got me all the way up here, Commander Cody, how may I be of assistance?"

"The scouts have returned with the detailed topographical map of the planet, General. We're ready to work on the plan with you."

"Ah, thank you, Commander."

Obi-Wan peered at the holographic display of the planet; the majority of it was covered in high desert plateaus. Longshot walked over to Cody and whispered in his ear. Longshot may have been an excellent sharpshooter, but he was a terrible whisperer. Everyone nearby, including Obi-Wan, heard, "The general found out about our nickname for him, sir!"

Even though he was wearing his bucket, Cody's eye roll was obvious. "Well, do enlighten us, Longshot. Who spilled?"

With a chuckle, Obi-Wan interjected, "Never mind, Cody dear. I don't mind any of you calling me a brother. In fact, I'm rather flattered! I am honored."

"Are you sure, sir?" Cody's words were a bit stiff but had an earnest note.

Obi-Wan smiled. "Of course, my dears! I treasure each and every one of you. I know how loyal you are to me, but knowing that you consider me one of you is almost too much." Obi-Wan hesitated before he continued, "I only ask that you use discretion. Please be careful when you speak to me in front of certain people who might not understand us."

"Of course, sir. We'll protect your reputation as well as you protect us."

Feeling the heat chase up the back of his neck again, Obi-Wan grabbed Cody's elbow and gave his arm a gentle shake. "I know you will, Cody dear. I know you all will."

* * *

After they had finished planning for the upcoming mission, Obi-Wan managed to snag Cody for a word in private.

"I'm not sure what is still confusing you, General," Cody said.

If Obi-Wan didn't know any better, he'd be wondering if the master commander of the whole ding-dang Grand Army of the Republic wasn't being obtuse. On purpose.

No, Cody would never stoop to such behavior.

_Never._

"My dear Cody, I am not confused. I am only asking for a more detailed explanation." Obi-Wan sighed. "I want to know why "Brother" is the name that you picked for me. Why not something like 'General Tea-Drinker' or 'General Always-Drops-His-Lightsaber?'"

Cody snorted.

"What?" said Obi-Wan in mock seriousness. "I think those are good names."

"No joking, sir. We call you brother because you treat us like a brother. You treat us as if we were natural-born humans. You take special care to remember our names and treat each of us as individuals. You give more of your time and energy and health than you should, not only to keep us safe but also to keep us happy. All those reasons make you our brother."

Obi-Wan blinked several times, definitely not to hide any tears forming. He could think of nothing to say.

"You might be the red-headed stepchild, but you're as much of a brother as any of us, General Vod."

"Thank you, Cody."


	2. General Big Brother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to me for finally realizing that the GAR Navy doesn't mean boats.

Waxer decided that things couldn't get much better. 

First, the mission that they finished a day ago had gone much easier than expected. For once, Intelligence from Coruscant had gotten things wrong in a good way. The Separatist outpost had been less than a fifth of the size predicted and had been overrun with ease. Add to that no casualties and it was a fantastic mission.

Well, no casualties other than Boil's broken toe. Overtopp the medic had glowered, thrown some medical tape at him, and said he wasn't going to waste bacta on an idiot. Boil was still complaining.

Second, since they had finished the mission so early, they were taking the slow route back to Coruscant. Then they would resupply and head back out. That meant they had a whole three weeks in space to relax. To relax and do drills under Cody's watchful eye. There was a reason that the 212th was the best, and it wasn't from taking luxurious Naboolian vacations.

Third, their General was spending so much time with them. General Kenobi had always avoided both the officers' mess with the nat-born officers and the general mess hall with all the Vode. He said that he preferred to eat in his room so that he could work while eating. Waxer had often worried that the General had felt like he was intruding and wouldn't be welcome.

Bless that di'kut, Table, for spilling the beans. Ever since then, every time that a trooper called him General Vod, Obi-Wan got this shy, little smile. The back of his neck turned red, though you had to be close to see it since it was hidden behind the high collar of his Jedi robes. 

And now, the general felt more comfortable eating with them. Often, Wooley or Trapper could convince General Kenobi to tell them stories about growing up as a Jedi. Waxer loved the ones about the littlest Jedi best. Boil liked hearing about all the wounded creatures that their general's old master had brought home.

Anyway, right now General was telling them a story about how difficult it was to get General Skywalker to bathe when he first came to live in the Jedi order. He had to keep pausing the story because everyone was laughing so hard that they couldn't hear him. Crys had laughed himself right off the bench he'd been sitting on. Trapper got sauce in his eyes from wiping the tears away which caused a minor pause until he could flush them out.

"Poor thing," said General Kenobi, continuing when the commotion had died down somewhat. "He had no idea what to do with all that water. He told me that he was drowning in the shower. He was terrified the first time I took him into the Room of Thousand Fountains back in the Temple. I was worried that his eyes would pop right out of his skull."

Waxer chuckled, imagining the "Hero with No Fear" petrified of water. General Skywalker's early life in the Tatooine Desert had been so different from their damp beginnings at Kamino. "General Vod, what did he do the first time he saw rain?" Waxer asked.

"It was rather traumatic," Obi-Wan snorted. "After he got over his shock, he got angry, saying it was so wasteful. I had to explain the water cycle to him several times. I'm not sure that I ever convinced him that it was a natural phenomenon and we wouldn't run out of water." Rubbing his beard, Obi-Wan continued. "In fact, Anakin's constant harping about how much water I was wasting is the reason I still find myself taking sea showers when I'm not using the sonics."

"General," interjected Cody, "There's plenty of water for you to take a shower longer than a few minutes."

"Oh, I know, Cody dear. I don't mind the sonics. Old habits die hard."

Forget old habits, Waxer would be his next non-existent paycheck that their general wouldn't ever take a privilege that his men didn't have. For example, he knew for a fact that the general had given up his expensive tea habit. He wanted to give the men a few more credits for the slush/party fund. The sacrificial Jedi either drank caf, which he hated, or drank low-grade tea that he stole from hotel rooms. 

"Well, gentlemen, this has been a thoroughly pleasant way to spend an evening, but I must get back to my quarters. Paperwork is calling my name," said Obi-Wan as he rose to leave.

The groans that the troopers let out caused Obi-Wan to pause. Their Jedi looked confused. Waxer jumped in, "We'll miss you, General Vod. Can't paperwork wait? I bet we can get a few troopers to help you – Busy and Truff love paperwork. They might be soft-shells, but they're all right."

"I'm sure Busy and Truff have their own work to do; it wouldn't be right to add mine," Obi-Wan said with a slight waver in his tone.

"We don't mind, sir," Truff spoke up.

"Some of the material is confidential," Obi-Wan dithered.

"Come now, sir," Cody interrupted. "I've been saying for months now that you need a yeoman for yourself. Never mind the fact that you do all your work in your room instead of an actual office like you're supposed to. Stay here for a while longer – we're practically on leave anyway. Then finish anything that's life or death later tonight and have a trial run with a few of the Navy boys. See if something fits."

"If you keep twisting, my arm will come right off," joked Obi-Wan, sitting back down next to Cody. He frowned thoughtfully, "Oh, wait, that's Anakin's."

The troopers laughed. Cody nudged his shoulder against Obi-Wan, who nudged him right back. Obi-Wan turned to look at his commander and stated, "All right, my dear, it's your turn to entertain the troops." He brushed a bit of smudge off Cody's pauldron.

Cody shook his head, "Not me, I'm afraid, sir. Longshot, you're up."

Longshot's grin lit up his entire face. "I've got the best story!"

Obi-Wan leaned forward on the table. His smile may have been slight, but Waxer knew the general was having a good time. The Jedi might be more subtle in their expressions, but that only made figuring out their unique tics all the more rewarding.

As the night went on, the stories and the rotgut that Cody ignored kept flowing. Finally, the hour grew late, and Obi-Wan finally managed to excuse himself, to sleep he promised. 

As he left, everyone yelled goodbye. The one that made the general pause was a shiny named, Ice. With a huge grin, Ice called, "Thanks for all the good stories, General Ori'Vod!" 

_General Big Brother._

Obi-Wan's blush was crawling up the sides of his neck. The clones grinned at each other. "Ah, good night, Ice. Good night, everyone!"

Waxer smiled. All was right.


	3. General Obi-Wan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~Do they even use paper in Star Wars? I don't care.~~

"You see, General Vod, we've organized everything," Truff explained. "All your forms are organized and color-coded so you can find everything easier."

Busy continued, "I went through all your paperwork and sorted everything by category into different folders. I went ahead and finalized all these in this pile for you. All they need is your initials and I can get them sent out right away."

"This is fantastic, Truff and Busy. Thank you so very much! I can't believe you did all this in an hour!" Obi-Wan exclaimed as he surveyed their work, impressed.

"Actually, it only took about thirty," Truff said. "You had things spread all over your quarters, but there was an underlying structure to your piles. We spent the other half-hour getting your office set up for you."

"Everything looks so nice." Obi-Wan hedged, "The only thing is I'm so used to working in my room. I don't know if I'll be able to get into the habit of using this office. I like being able to go to bed as soon as I finish."

Cody interjected, stepping over from where he had been lingering by the door. "General Kenobi, using your office is a good idea. It's important to separate work from your rest and personal time. You can always keep a data-pad on your bedside table if an idea comes to you in the middle of the night."

"Well, I suppose you're right," Obi-Wan said, eyes squinting in pleased resignation. "You've both done such a good job, but are you sure this won't keep you from your regular duties?"

"Don't worry, sir," replied Busy. "We're soft-shells – we don't have as much time devoted to battle training as the rest of the Vode do. Our work is lighter."

"But still vital!" said Obi-Wan brow furrowing in heartfelt concern.

"We know that, General Vod," said Truff with a smile. "We might be glorified stock boys, but someone has to make sure that our brothers have enough supplies to be able to keep fighting on. We will be busier right after a battle or when we dock in Coruscant. Otherwise, we've got enough room in our schedules to help you out for at least an hour a day."

"Good!" said Cody clasping his hands together. "We'll start with an hour a day, and if more time would help our general, then I'll make sure to update your schedules. That's one of the perks of being in charge of you lot."

"Well, thank you, everyone, once again," Obi-Wan said, eyes bright. "I think this will work very well."

Honestly, Obi-Wan had thought that it would be weird having Busy and Truff around. But the two yeomen were efficient. Following their organizational system did make all the paperwork and orders flow. The two kept up a chipper murmur between themselves. Their words faded comfortably into background noise. This allowed Obi-Wan to concentrate as he worked.

When they left, the quiet was strangely stifling. Their brightness in the Force leaving him not exactly lonely, but with the realization that he was alone. Strange how it had only taken him a little less than a week to grow so very used to having their company. How things had changed since dear Table had made everyone's brotherly affection for him known.

For a few days, Obi-Wan made little excuses for the pair to stay longer. But that made him feel guilty that he was keeping them from their work, so he stopped.

"General," Cody greeted with a sharp rap on Obi-Wan's office doorframe. "May I come in, sir?"

"Of course, Cody dear. My doors are always open," Obi-Wan said with a soft smile, putting down his stylus. "How may I help you?"

Cody stood at ease in front of Obi-Wan's desk. He said, "I don't want to presume, sir, but Busy and Truff had the idea to increase productivity if the two of us shared an office. They thought that it would save time not having to set up meetings to go over details. But I don't want to intrude on your space."

Obi-Wan grinned, "I think that would work very well, my dear commander. After all, we've often spent many a late night in the mess helping each other catch up on work and finalizing orders. We would be more productive together." Obi-Wan rose and surveyed the small office. "Well, there's plenty of room for another desk, but we'll have to move a few of the filing cabinets around."

Cody smiled and said, "I'll get a few troops to bring in the furniture. Let's get some lunch in you, General Vod, and Busy and Truff will have everything organized by the time we get back."

Obi-Wan moved around his desk to stand by Cody. "I've never met anyone who loved organizing paperwork more than those two. I'm beyond impressed."

Cody shook his head as he ushered Obi-Wan out of the door with a hand on his back. "Those two prefer a clipboard to a blaster. I'd be embarrassed to call them my brothers if they didn't make my job so much easier."

"They're good Vod," Obi-Wan said. "Not everyone can be an ARC trooper. I know that you know that we need support staff. Not everyone can do both – fighting and organizing, that is. Present company excepted, my dear Marshal Commander."

Cody laughed. "General, I would trade every blaster I've ever owned to not have to pick up a data-pad again!"

"Then how would you fight all those nasty droids?" Obi-Wan teased.

Cody gave him an unimpressed look as they made it to the mess hall. "I only traded my blasters, not my knives or my fists."

"Oh, who's the commander fighting?" asked Longshot, waving the two over to his table, where a group of Ghost Company had started eating. "Why did he trade his blasters?"

"No one right now, I hope," Obi-Wan said with a chuckle as he sat down next to Cody. "Our commander is willing to give up his blasters for a break from paperwork." Truff placed a meal tray each in front of him and Cody. "Thank you, Truff." Truff grinned and headed back to his own table nearby. He was pleased that he had been the one quick enough to get to feed their general.

"Oh no, sir!" said Waxer in aghast. "You forgot your legs! You're the best at kicking droids too!"

"Does the commander still have his jetpack?" Boil asked.

Declining to respond to their nonsense, Cody pulled the covering off of his meal. He muttered, "If we ever have to leave the Negotiator for another ship, we're taking Truff and Busy with us."

"Plotting a kidnapping?" asked Obi-Wan.

Cody only smiled close-mouthed around his bite.

"Sirs, is the commander kicking people or kidnapping people? I'm very confused," said Trapper.

"I'm eating lunch," Cody deadpanned.

"He's doing neither, I should hope," Obi-Wan said. "I'm afraid this conversation is getting a bit beyond my ability to explain."

"I doubt that," Longshot said. "You're very good at explaining things."

"Well, thank you, Longshot—" Obi-Wan started before Crys jumped in.

"Sir, can I ask you a question that I've always wanted to know? Which came first – your nickname of "Negotiator" or the name of our ship, the _Negotiator_?" Crys asked. "I've always assumed the ship was named after you, that makes the most sense since you know..." With that Crys waved his hand in Obi-Wan's general direction, gesturing to "all this."

"I've never thought about that," said Obi-Wan. "I guess I wasn't paying attention if anyone ever told me. It seems odd to name a ship after me though, doesn't it? Maybe it was a coincidence." He rubbed his beard thoughtfully.

Crys rolled his eyes. "It's not odd, General Vod; you're the best Jedi!"

"I'm hardly the best, Crys—"

"New game!" cried Longshot. "Who is the second-best Jedi!?" Murmuring broke out around the table as clones discussed this most important question. Various names were called out and either considered or shot down. "New rule: no padawans," added Longshot, "Jedi generals only."

Taking less time than Obi-Wan expected, it was decided that Generals Plo, Windu, and Shaak Ti would share a three-way tie for the second-best general. Not that he would disagree, but he was curious and thought about asking why those three. Wishing to avoid prolonging the arguing, he decided to finish up his meal instead.

"What about the second-sexist general?" said Crys wiggling his eyebrows.

"That's my cue to leave," said Obi-Wan with a laugh.

"Oh, we'll stop, General, don't leave!" Crys pled. Wooley gazed pitifully at Obi-Wan. Boil glared at Crys like he wanted to punch him.

Obi-Wan hesitated, so Cody jumped in, hoping to extend his general's break. "We have time to stay a bit longer, General Obi-Wan." Cody was paying attention to Obi-Wan's nod of acceptance and didn't notice the shocked looks on the faces at the table. When he did, his brow furrowed until it hit him.

"General Kenobi, I apologize! I should not have been so informal. I didn't mean to make you uncom—"

"Cody, Cody, stop!" interrupted Obi-Wan, placing his hand on Cody's shoulder. "Obi-Wan is my name! I certainly don't mind if you use it."

"I meant no disrespect," Cody continued, eyes locked on Obi-Wan. Everyone at the table was staring wide-eyed at the pair of them.

"Of course, you didn't, my dear Cody. You and your men have never shown me anything other than the utmost respect. I doubt you could. I know how important names are to you and your brothers. Once again, I'm honored to use yours, and I'd be honored if any of you would use mine if you're comfortable."

"Thank you, sir," Cody said shyly. "I mean, thank you, General Obi-Wan." The name felt good coming out of his mouth.

The men at the table still looked a bit shocked but were happily whispering among themselves.

Deciding to change the subject, Obi-Wan asked, "Have I told you the story about the first time I met Senator Amidala and all her sneaky handmaidens? It's a good one."

Later, as Obi-Wan headed back to his office to finally get some work done, he remembered what Crys had said. To the empty hallway, he asked, "Wait, who's the first-sexiest general?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan, you are really dumb.


	4. General Little Brother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Handwavy military procedures. Handwavy technology.

They might not look it, but every member of the 212th was panicking. Sure, they hadn't stopped digging into the rough mountain dirt and rock to build their fortifications. But every last trooper was tense and miserable.

Almost as soon as they arrived Coruscant, they had received orders to head back out. They barely had enough time to refuel and restock. Of course, they didn't have a chance to figure out why the intel they kept getting was so kriffing bad. They never did.

A week later and two days ago, they had dug into one of the mountains of the thousands that crossed this Force-forsaken moon. They were prepared for a possible months-long siege. Eight hours ago, Obi-Wan and A-Squad had attempted to infiltrate the Separatist base to disable the enemy's shields. They would "lower the drawbridge and raise the portcullis" as Obi-Wan had put it. If they succeeded, they would be able to end the siege that much quicker. Yet five hours ago, they had lost contact with them all.

Thus, the panicking began. Their years of arduous training were the only things that kept them working. That and their trust in their general. General Kenobi would be found safe and sound. And probably flirting with his captors, much to everyone's annoyance, if experience proved anything.

"Eyeball, do you have contact with the general?" Cody snapped as he poured over the holo-table map. He hoped to find alternate entrances to the Separatist base. It wasn't looking good.

"No, sir. I'm still getting a faint signal, but communications are still blocked. I can't get a good connection," Eyeball replied, fingers flying as he worked on the main relay, trying to get a secure link.

"Let me know if you get anything. Don't stop trying."

"Never, sir," replied Eyeball.

Kark! Cody knew that unless he found another way into the base, he would be sending in more troopers to be captured or killed. The route Obi-Wan and A-Squad had wound through the mountainous terrain would now be guarded. It would be the same with every other route, now that the element of surprise was gone. 

For once, the Seppie droids weren't coming out to fight. Instead, they remained inside their fortress, waiting for the clones to break themselves down. Now, they couldn't even bomb the base for fear of harming their General and men.

A full-frontal assault might give enough of a distraction for Obi-Wan to complete his mission. If he hadn't been captured (unlikely with the lack of communication). Or for Obi-Wan to escape if he had been captured (looking more and more likely by the hour). An assault, especially without their Jedi, would be throwing his men's lives at the shields. And quite possibly getting nothing in return. 

Kark! This was bad. He tried to center himself with deep and steady breaths like Obi-Wan had tried to teach him, but this was _bad_.

"Commander!" came a cry behind him. Cody turned and saw two shiny troopers running towards him, almost tripping over their feet in their hurry.

"What's wrong with you two?" Cody barked, taking in the pair's mismatched armor as they slid to a halt in front of him and saluted. "If you're so wet behind the ears that you can't wear your armor right, then you shouldn't be within one hundred klicks of a battlefield! Straighten up!"

They both ripped the helmets off their heads. Busy and Truff. 

"What the kark are you two Navy boys doing down here!?" Cody yelled. "I'll have you demoted to garbage duty for the rest of your miserable, boring lives if you don't have a kriffing good reason—"

"Sir!" interrupted Truff without a care for regulations. "We have a way to find our general!"

Okay. That _was_ a kriffing good reason. "Talk," Cody snapped as he dragged them to the portable holo-table displaying a map of the region.

"We put a tracking device in his lightsaber," explained Busy.

Cody blinked at them. "Go on."

Truff pulled an information cylinder out of his belt and plugged it into the holo-table. A gold light flickered on the map, a dot in the middle of the Separatist base. Truff grinned, "He's right there, sir, or at least his lightsaber is."

"That would make finding him easier if we could get inside, but that chance is slim now," Cody stated.

Truff hit a button on the cylinder, and a pale gold streak appeared on the holo-map. "And that's everywhere he's been for the last eight hours." Cody stared at the map. Pale gold lines started from their fortifications, wound through the mountain passes, crisscrossed through the base, and finally connected with the bright gold dot of Obi-Wan.

"Very good," muttered Cody. "It looks like they got damn close to the power generators before turning back. We can see how he got in, but Trapper and the rest of the Recon boys said that entrance is fully guarded now. We wouldn't get in close."

"Sir, let me try something," interjected Eyeball. He walked over to the map and adjusted a few dials. The map zoomed in to focus on the base. An overlay appeared on top of the base, showing more detail. "This is an older blueprint of the base before the Seppies took over, back when this place was mining operations."

"Why the kriff is it so much more detailed than the one Intelligence gave us?" Cody said, rubbing his forehead.

Eyeball said, "This older one is from Commander Fox just in case the one blueprint that Intelligence sent us wasn't as good. Apparently, no one thought we'd try to sneak in, but Commander Fox knows our General better than that."

"The ones from Intel are never as good." Cody leaned forward to study the map. "There!" he said pointing at a section where a long, winding route wove around a mountain on the opposite side. "That's how we'll get in. What is it?"

Busy leaned forward and said, "Looks like an old waste runoff from back when this was a mine."

"Perfect. We'll dig through if we have to." Turning around, Cody signaled for everyone to gather up. Now that he had a plan formulating, he was able to shove his worry for his general away. They would get their general back, Force with them or not.

"Here's the plan," Cody began, voice firm and confident. "I'll lead Ghost Company around to the entrance of the waste runoff. Trapper will lead Recon Division ahead of us to see if we'll need to dig or blow our way in. While we're doing that, Gregor and Cog will lead Foxtrot and Juggernaut to lightly bombard the front entrance from a safe distance. Just enough to get their attention, but not so much that we draw them out. The Negotiator will shell from above, again, not enough to get through the shields, but enough to shake the dust off. I want noise!"

"That will cover up any noise we make in the back, getting in," said Waxer with a smirk.

"And distract them from the general," added Gregor crossing his arms over his chest.

Cody nodded. "We don’t know what's blocking our communications, it could be their shields, it could be these kriffing mountains. So Gryxx, I'll need you and the 2nd Airborne ready to drop in, cover our exit, and pull us out quickly if need be." Gryxx nodded as he studied the holo-table map.

Cody turned to Ghost Company's chief medic, "Snapper, I want your full team of medics with us, just in case. We're going to need full demolition kits and diggers, so we're taking the Engineers with us. Crys, divvy it up among our squads so we can move faster. Trapper, I want you heading out within five. Ghost Company will leave in twenty, coming slower behind you. Start the barrage in thirty. Let's get all our Vode back. Any questions?"

"No, sir," chorused the assembled troopers, immediately turning to get to work. They would be ready to go on time, if not earlier. The 212th was the best, after all.

Cody turned to Eyeball and said, "You'll stay here and track our progress. I want to know if the general moves. Keep trying to reach them."

"Of course, sir."

Next, Cody spoke to Busy and Truff, "You two are coming with Ghost Company. Rig up a portable version of that map."

"Yes, sir!" they replied crisply.

"And get your armor fitted properly. Get some blasters for Force sake. You've got nineteen minutes."

"Yes, sir!"

"And you're both getting promoted."

"Yes, sir!"

* * *

Cody loved it when a plan came together.

When Trapper got to the entrance, he told them that the tunnel was dark and smelly, but mostly clear of rubble. So, Ghost Company dropped all but three of the diggers to be picked up later so they could get there faster. Once through the tunnel, they met little resistance. The droids were occupied with shoring up their defenses against the bombardment. The few that they did encounter were quickly taken out, as they worked their way through the base. They left squads behind at various points to cover their retreat and to set up explosives.

Thanks to Busy and Truff, finding Obi-Wan was a no problem. When they finally found A-Squad, Gearshift explained what happened. They had almost made it to the generators when they'd been spotted. Obi-Wan had held off the droids, while he forced A-Squad behind nearby blast doors. Obi-Wan had been overwhelmed, taking a brutal beating. A-Squad had broken back out and rescued their general, pulling him back to safety. They had treated his wounds as best as they could. "Since then, we holed up, waiting for rescue. We were unwilling to move General Kenobi with his wounds," Gearshift explained.

"Right on time, my dear commander," said Obi-Wan with a fading smile.

Snapper and Overtopp had immediately descended on Obi-Wan, while the other medics looked over A-Squad. Other than a few phaser burns and various bruises, Obi-Wan had kept them all safe. Overtopp hurried over to Cody, "He's good to move, sir, but he'll need a stretcher."

Sparing a moment to look over Obi-Wan himself, Cody took in their general's pale face and weary eyes. "We're moving out. Waxer, take your platoon forward to the power room and get those shields shut down. Crys, get to the entrance and signal for the bombing to stop in five minutes. Get our ride ready too. After we're clear and the shields are down, I want our explosives to go off and the bombing to continue. Don't stop until this base is nothing more than a pile of dust."

Troopers moved without hesitation to follow his orders. Cody knelt down next to the stretcher that Overtopp was setting up. As he worked, hands sure and fast, Overtopp explained softly, "We're getting you out of here, sir. Now don't struggle; you've done so well. A-Squad is safe and we're all getting out of here in one piece, thanks to you. Plus, the commander brought enough explosives that we'll blow this place sky-high. We'll be on our way home before the good drugs wear off."

Obi-Wan tried to smile but grimaced in pain. Stubbornly, he tried to sit up, but Snapper, placed a hand on his shoulder, "You have a concussion; you need to stay down." Obi-Wan frowned, wanting to get up, but the medicine was kicking in, adding to his confusion. "Come on now, General Vod'ika, lay back and rest. We've got you." 

_General Little Brother._

With Snapper's gentle hand on his forehead, Obi-Wan blinked wearily, but settled, giving a deep sigh. "There you go."

Cody smiled as Obi-Wan finally drifted. Overtopp and another medic lifted the stretcher up. Snapper hovered near Obi-Wan's head, keeping an eye on his vitals as they headed back out the base. Busy and Truff took up the rear. They looked as fierce as any ARC trooper, though their armor still didn't sit quite correctly.

Crys's voice came through over his headset, "Bombardment is stopping now, Commander. Airborne is on the way."

"Received," Cody replied. Over comms, he commanded, "Everyone, prepare to follow the General out. Let's blow this base."

Outside as they loaded Obi-Wan onto the nearest LAAT, he regained consciousness and blinked blearily up at Cody. "Thank you, my dear commander."

"No, General Obi-Wan, thank you." Cody grinned as he helped make sure the stretcher's straps were secured. "I can't say how nice it is that you didn't lose your lightsaber for once. Really made my day much easier."

Obi-Wan managed a slight smile. "Come on now, General Vod, let's get you home." Cody allowed himself a comforting squeeze of Obi-Wan's hand. He would have let go had Obi-Wan not squeezed back and closed his eyes once more. The paratroopers secured their exit until every trooper boarded the LAATs. Cody finally allowed himself to relax a bit. His general was safe once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fox ex Machina. 
> 
> Fox Machina.
> 
> Also, I was not about to have Cody say "roger," that's a battle droid word. According to my research (facepalm), "roger" is radio slang for "received." There you have it.
> 
> Also, also, yes, will I write unrealistic battle scenes where zero clones die? YUP.


	5. Little Obi-Wan, Affectionately

Waxer didn't think it was fair. He was one of the Vode that had known Obi-Wan the longest, but he had not been allowed to visit their recuperating general. Meanwhile, those two Navy upstarts Busy and Truff had gotten to see him every day. Allegedly, those two were helping him "do paperwork" to "keep the Third Systems Army running."

Whatever. His general needed a break from his rest. He'd sneak in wearing a medical coat if he had to.

Biding his time, Waxer waited by the sickbay door until an opportunity presented itself. When Overtopp stepped out and headed down the hall, Waxer knew he'd found it. Overtopp always bragged about being Obi-Wan's favorite medic. So, Waxer figured he'd been the one keeping the closest eye on their general. Now would be the perfect chance to slip in.

Casually, but trying to look like he belonged, Waxer strode into medical. Spotting Obi-Wan lying in a bed, Waxer headed over before any of the other medics could say anything. Obi-Wan looked up from his data-pad and smiled. "Hello, Waxer. Come to visit your wounded general?"

Waxer drew near and smiled broadly. "Hey, General Obi-Wan. How're you feeling? We all miss you."

"Oh, I'm feeling 100 percent better," Obi-Wan's voice dropped to a whisper, "but I'm still being kept in captivity. Are you here to break me out?"

As much as Waxer would do anything to make his general happy, he knew that assisting in a jailbreak wasn't anything close to a good idea. Before he could reply, a medic strode over. "Hello, Lieutenant Waxer. Mind telling me what the kriff you're doing in my sickbay?"

"Oh, Snapper, please let Waxer stay," begged Obi-Wan. "I'm so bored."

Snapper crossed his arms over his chest, but it would take a tougher man to rest the general's big, pleading Tooka eyes. "Fine. He can stay, but you must promise me that you will be good."

"I promise to be good," said Obi-Wan as sweet as spun sugar.

Waxer blinked when Snapper rounded on him, finger pointing. "And you – you are not to rile him up, I don't even want him laughing. One chuckle from the general and I will throw you out by your ear. Second, you are not to promise him that you will help escape no matter how prettily he begs. And finally, he is still drugged to the gills, so don't do him any favors without asking one of us medics first." Waxer nodded.

"I'm thirsty," said Obi-Wan plaintively.

Snapper rolled his eyes. He picked up a cup with a straw and handed it to Waxer. "Here, you can give him sips from this. Do not let him hold it. He's thrown water on the electrical equipment as part of an escape plan that made no sense. Fortunately, everything in here is waterproof, isn't that right, Vod'ika?"

Obi-Wan's lower lip jutted out in an actual pout, and Waxer took a quick holo with his helmet. Force preserve them, Obi-Wan was kriffing dangerous. Waxer pulled out a stool and sat next to the general. He placed his helmet on his knee, angled to get the best footage. Being careful not to spill, he helped Obi-Wan sit up and take a few sips of the water.

"Thank you, Waxer dear," said Obi-Wan lying back down. "They keep promising me that if I'm good, they'll let me out. But I've been good, and I'm still here and they haven't let me out. I'm being tricked."

Waxer bit his lip and nodded. "I'm sorry, sir, that's terrible." Obi-Wan gave a sulky sniff. "But, sir, I'm here now, and I'll keep you entertained." He leaned forward, "Only you can't laugh or they'll throw me out."

"I would miss you, Waxer! I promise I'll be good," Obi-Wan swore.

"I know you will, Vod'ika. Were you like this as a little Jedi?" Waxer asked.

"Like what?" Obi-Wan said with a frown.

Waxer was going to give himself a bloody lip if he kept having to bite it. "I mean, I bet you were a good little Jedi."

Obi-Wan tilted his head back and closed his eyes. "Oh, no, I was a terrible little Jedi. I was probably the worst little Jedi ever."

"Sir, that can't be true!" 

"Oh, Waxer, it is! All those funny stories that I tell you about Anakin – well, I was at least 10,000 times worse. I was always getting into trouble and into fights and into places that I shouldn't have been." Obi-Wan was starting to look distressed. 

Waxer desperately thought of how to change the subject. Even though he desperately wanted to hear about their naughty, little Jedi general.

"Sir, I almost forgot, I brought you a present!" Waxer rifled in his belt, trying to find the package.

"You got me a present?" Obi-Wan looked up, eyes already shining with tears. "No one has ever gotten me a present before."

"Cody got you a new lightsaber clip just last week," Snapper said as he walked by with a pile of towels. "And Padawan Tano has sent you at least ten holo-books to read today alone. Not that you've read anything."

"Oh, I forgot," Obi-Wan said, brightening up. He turned back to Waxer. Tears of joy were still threatening to drip. "Thank you so much, Waxer. I really appreciate you thinking of me."

"Sir, I haven't even given it to you yet."

"Oh."

With a grin, Waxer placed the neatly wrapped package in Obi-Wan's hands. "It's beautiful."

"Force sake, Vod'ika, open it."

A furrow between his eyebrows, Obi-Wan nodded. Gently, he untied the bow and carefully eased the paper off, not ripping it. He gasped when he saw the package. "It's tea!" he shouted.

Snapper immediately headed over.

"Sorry!" Obi-Wan whispered loudly. "I forgot. Snapper, look – Waxer got me tea. I love tea. Did you know I love tea?"

"Yes, I think everyone you've ever met knows you like tea," Snapper said, relenting. "Let me see it. If it's caffeine-free, you can have a cup now."

"It is; I made sure," Waxer interjected. 

"All right, give me a few minutes, and I'll bring you one cup. You'll have to save the rest for later. Waxer can stay while you drink it, if you continue to stay calm," Snapper said.

Obi-Wan turned back to Waxer. "Thank you so very much, Waxer. Tea is my favorite. How did you get it?"

Waxer grinned. "Well, I won a few credits off of some nat-born officers awhile back and I picked up the tea when we were last in Coruscant."

"But we only had six hours leave last time we were in Coruscant." Obi-Wan looked ready to cry again. "You used some of your leave to buy this for me?"

"I know you've been missing good tea. You're always looking for ways to make our lives better, I thought I'd return the favor."

Suddenly serious, Obi-Wan carefully reached over and grasped Waxer's hand. "Each one of you makes my life better every single day." Letting go with a smile, he continued. "But today, Waxer is my favorite."

"I'm telling Cody," said Snapper arriving with the steaming cup. "Waxer is holding this until it's cooled a bit, then you will swallow it slowly."

Obi-Wan nodded and almost wriggled in excitement.

For the next fifteen minutes, Obi-Wan and Waxer talked about nothing in particular as Waxer helped Obi-Wan drink his tea. He kept offering a sip to everyone who walked by, which they all politely refused.

When it was finally finished, Obi-Wan motioned Waxer closer with wiggly fingers. "May I give you a thank-you kiss on the cheek?"

Eyes wide, Waxer leaned over. Obi-Wan placed a gentle kiss on Waxer's cheek, his beard softly scratching. Waxer sat back, and Obi-Wan's eyes sparkled as he grinned.

"I'm telling Cody," said Snapper.

"Come here, Snapper. I owe you a thank-you kiss for taking such good care of me even though I'm being terrible."

"You're not terrible. You can thank me by falling asleep, Vod'ika." Snapper took the cup from Waxer.

Obi-Wan nodded seriously, lay back, and closed his eyes. Reaching over, Waxer smoothed his hair from his forehead. "Sleep well, Ob'ika. Get better." He rose and smiled at Snapper. "Thanks for letting me see him," he whispered as they headed to the door. Snapper lowered the lights.

"Thanks for lifting his spirits. He's been alternating between feeling guilty for being injured and being grouchy because we won't let him leave. The di'kut thinks broken bones and serious internal damage isn't enough to justify a rest. I'd wring his neck if that wouldn't create more work for myself."

"Well, you now have tea to bribe him with."

"Maybe I should give you a thank-you kiss on the cheek too."

"Shut up!"

"I hope you got a holo of that."

"Kriff. I forgot I was recording." Waxer hurriedly turned off the camera on his helmet. "Thanks again. I'll let everyone know how he's doing."

Waxer immediately headed down the hallway to the barracks. He had a video to show Boil. He'd be so jealous. He wasn't Obi-Wan's favorite. Waxer was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drugged Obi-Wan is the cutest Obi-Wan.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ♥


End file.
